Add salt to ponds to reduce chytridiomycosis

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
Share Tweet Email

View assessment score

How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

41%
Certainty

25%
Harms

50%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis has been found to survive in lake water for seven weeks after introduction (Johnson & Speare 2003). Treating the aquatic environment may help to reduce the effect of the disease on amphibians. Salt is often used for fungal diseases in aquaculture and for veterinary treatments of fish and amphibians (Wright & Whitaker 2001; Mifsud & Rowland 2008) and has been found to kill the chytrid fungus (Johnson et al. 2003).

Johnson M.L., Berger L., Philips L. & Speare R. (2003) Fungicidal effects of chemical disinfectants, UV light, desiccation and heat on the amphibian chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 57, 255–260.

Johnson M. & Speare R. (2003) Survival of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in water: quarantine and disease control implications. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 9, 922–925.

Mifsud C. & Rowland S.J. (2008) Use of salt to control ichthyophthiriosis and prevent saprolegniosis in silver perch, Bidyanus bidyanus. Aquaculture Research, 39, 1175–1180.

Wright K.M. & Whitaker B.R. (2001) Pharmacotherapeutics. Pages 309–330 in: K. M. Wright, B. R. Whitaker & F. L. Malabar (eds) Amphibian Medicine and Captive Husbandry, Krieger Publishing Company.

Study locations

Key messages

One study in Australia found that following addition of salt to a pond containing the chytrid fungus, a population of green and golden bell frogs remained free of chytridiomycosis for at least six months.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A study in 2000–2001 of captive green and golden bell frogs Litoria aurea in Sydney, Australia (White 2006) found that following addition of salt to a constructed pond the population remained free of chytridiomycosis for at least six months. Thirty-three of 40 green and golden bell frog tadpoles released survived to juvenile frogs in the salted pond. However, growth appeared slower in salt water than fresh water (first metamorph: 49 vs 43 days; last metamorph: 123 vs 76–80 days). Following addition of salt, the two striped marsh frogs Limnodynastes peroni tested were negative for chytridiomycosis. Striped marsh frogs had introduced chytridiomycosis to the pond and it had killed all but one of the previous green and golden bell frog population. Following the initial outbreak of chytridiomycosis, uniodized table salt was added to the pond to achieve 1 parts per trillion (ppt) sodium chloride (3% sea water) in December 2000. Forty tadpoles were then released into the pond and were monitored weekly.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
White A.W. (2006) A trial using salt to protect green and golden bell frogs from chytrid infection. Herpetofauna, 36, 93-96.

Please cite as:

Smith, R.K., Meredith, H. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Amphibian Conservation. Pages 9-64 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Amphibian Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Use antifungal skin bacteria or peptides to reduce chytridiomycosis infection Action Link	Unlikely to be beneficial	5	Synopsis Link
Use antibacterial treatment to reduce chytridiomycosis infection Action Link	Unlikely to be beneficial	3	Synopsis Link
Remove the chytrid fungus from ponds Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link